Dry-cell tamper



M. A. F008.

DRY CELL TAMPER. APPLICATION HLEQ MAY22. 191s.

Patented Feb. 3,1920. 1

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY M. A. FO'OS. DRY CELL TAMPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. I918.

Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- TOR.

ATTORNEY MfiZUS AIDE! 5 Y a MW.

M. A. F008.

DRY CELL TAMPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 191B.

1 $329,965 Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 'INVENTOR.

MCQZEUS AFDDS BY a ATTORNEY:

M. A. F008.

DRY CELL TAMPER.

APPLICATION mu) MAYZZ'} 191s.

Pat ented Feb. 3,1920.

i1 SHEETSSHEET 4 INVENTOR H DUS F-L'PDD 5 M A TTORNEY scribed as applied to this type of tamper it UNITED STATES PATENT ornion MARCUS A. FOOS, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR '10 NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, INC.. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

nRY oELL TAMPER To all whom it may concern:

Cell Tampers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for tamping the mix into the container of a dry cell. The invention moreparticularly consists of means for feeding the mix into the can "and is especially adapted for use in connection with a tamping machine of the type shown in the patent to O. T..Richmond and M. M. Zellers, No; Although the device will be de-' is not necessarily limited thereto, as it may be used with other kinds of tampers.

One object of the invention is to eliminate hand feeding of the mix from the mix tray to the can. This will permit the use of um" skilled and inexperienced help for tamp'ing cells without decreasing the output of the machine. The operation is also rendered considerably less laborious.

Another object of the invention is to produce a more uniformly tamped product than is possible with hand feeding.

Other objects will appear in the following description and drawings in which Figure 1 is-a front view of the'apparatus'. Fig. '2 is a side view with parts insection, the can carriage being in its lowermost position. v

Fig. 3 is a side view similar to Fig. 2 with the carriage raised.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the upper parts of the apparatus.

Fig. 5 i's'a somewhat diagrammatic skeleton view showing the position of the 'mix' feed controlling mechanism when the can carriage is in the lowermost position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar-to Fig. 5 when the can carriage is in the uppermost position. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the position of the parts on the down stroke of the can carriage just before the feeding ofthe mix is stopped.

Fig. 8 is a cross section of the mix tray perpendicular to the section shown in Figs] 2 and 3. I

' Fig. 9 is a plan view of the mix tray.

The tamping apparatus'consists of a bench Specification of Letters Batent.

. provides a yieldingly resisting pressure.

1 supported by a suitable number of legs 2.

Patented Fe b. 3,- 1920.

Application filed May, 22, 1918. Serial No. 236,03Q.

On the bench a tamping frame is mounted having four uprights 3 made of angle irons and joined atthe top, bottom and intermediate points by horizontal connecting members 4.. At. the top of the frame suitable bearings 5; 5 are fastened 'andthe shaft 6 is fitted therein. At the rear end of the shaft a fly wheel 7 is placed and between the bearings pulleys 8 and 9 are arranged, one of which, 8, is an idler and the other, 9, is the drive pulley'through which the shaft 6, fly wheel 7 and a disk 10 are rotated. The disk is located at the front of the shaft.- and through its rotation operates a reciprocating tamping head 11 to which it is'connected by also" intermittently rotated by means of a cam 17 acting on a spring actuated plate 18' in a manner fully described in theRichmond and Zellers patent referred to. The holder clips 18 centrally located therein forholding the carbon electrode, said clips also being shown in the earlier patent.

Near the lower end of the tamping frame a pair of guides 19 are fastened and between these is placed a movable can carriage 20. The can carriage is connected by means of a v15 fo-r the tamping sticks also has spring v rod 21 to a lever 22 pivoted at-23 and having a counterweight 24 fastened on the lever on the opposite side ofthe pivot point'from the carriagef Vhen the cell is being tamped the tamping sticks pack the mix in the cell against the force of the counterweight which A clutch mechanism prevents upward movement-of the can carriage during the tamping ofthe can; but is adapted to permit the can carriage to be raised when desired.

The clutch consists of a dependingstrip 25 suspended from the bench 1 andan upwardlyextending strip 26. pivoted ,on the counterweight lever 22. A forked handle 27 is pivoted at 28 on the strip 26 so that the forked end incloses the strip 25 and a clamping shoe 29 pivoted at 30. The three members are normally held together by a spring 31. When the carriage tends to move upward due to the force of the counterweight, the handle 27 is drawn into an inclined position in relation to strip 26and movement.

the three members 25, 26 and 30 are pressed together unless the operator pulls thehandle upward to release the spring pressure. When the carriage moves down the handle tends to assume a horizontal.- position' which releasesfthe pressure on the members 25, 26

and therefore does. not prevent downward scribed is essentially the same as the prior art and the invention is adapted to feed-the -mix into the can, when combined with and connected to this mechanism, altho h, as

reviously stated, it is not necessarily limited thereto. 4 n v I The mix tray consists of a base board 32 which inits lowermost, position (Fig. 2)

' rests on a rod 33 fastened between the rear uprights 3 and in the front rests on the top of the can carriage guides 19, 19. The base board has a circular hole 34 which at the bottom is slightly larger in diameter than a can and at the top is smaller, so that when a can is fitted in the bottom opening, its upper ed e abuts against the flat surface of the re uced hole.

" 36 and 37 located respectively at the front,.

30 through theboa-rd engage the; inner edges .The base board also has three slots 35,

rear and between the circular hole 34 and the rear slot 36.- -A pair of rods 37 passing which moves back and forth therein and consists of inclined'sides 42,,42 adapted to cooperate with the guides 41, 4'1 and to fit into grooves 43, 43 near the top' of the stationaryv sides 40. Between the sides are attached the inclined front and rear ends 44, 45, which slide on the'base board. At

the top'the ends of the tapered mix holder edges of-the outer box. The frame consists of a front board 46 attached to the front end 44 and rojecting over the end 38 of the box su cient to allow the movable rear board 47 is similarly fastened to the rear end 45 and projects over the stationary box end 39. The tapered mix holder has ame'mber 48 .fastened to the rear end 45 and braced by an intermediate strip 49 attached to the top board 47.- The member 48 projects through an opening in the end piece 39 and is slotted at the end to receive a conneotingjlink 50 having a forked end.

The mix holder is reciprocated by means of connecting levers coiiperatin with a U- shaped member 51 bolted to the tamping head which has slots 52 in each of the arms.

The apparatus thus far de-.

Pins 53 which move in the slots 52 project from a two-armed lever 54 pivoted 'on a pin 55 which asses between two strips 56 bolted to the rame. lever 54 is placed between the forked end of the connectlng link- 50 and is provided with The other end, of the t a' slot 57 having a depression or a deep notch 58 therein. A second forked link 59 has slots 60 in the forked end, which are approximately at right angles to slot 57 and parallel-to the direction in which the notch' bench 1 and at the other end to the pin 61 which it draws downward and thus tends to' pull into the notch 58unless the pin is held up bylink 59 on account of resting on the bottom of the slots 60. The width of slot 57 is somewhat of pin 61. I

The link 59 is connected to a crank arm greater than the diameter 63 fastened on one end of a crank shaft- 64 mounted in standards 65 bolted to the bench. On the other end of the crank shaft a member 66 is attached which has two arms 67, 68. The portion of the crank shaft between the standards consists of an ofi'set crank arm 69 having a tension spring 70 connected thereto, the other end being fastened to a rod 71 placed between the standards vertically below the'crankshaft bearings. The crank arm 63 and the crank arm 69 are preferably spaced apart angularly, in the present case the crank arm 69 is about 30 tothe right of the crank arm. A stop 70' which is engaged by arm 68 limits the rotation of the shaft in a clockwise direction, and a stop 71 attached to standard "65 limits counterclockwise rotationby engaging the crank arm 69.

The mix feed is controlled by a rod 72 fastened to a tray elevator. 73 joined to the link 21 by an arm 74.' The upper end-of the tray elevator engages the base board and elevates the tray when the carriage is raised. The front end of the tray'is also engaged on the upstroke of the carriageby the heads of bolts 75 fastened in projections- 76 of the can carriage.-

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: When the carriage is down asshown' in Fig. 2 the operator will insert an electrode in the electrode holder 18' located between the tamping sticks. A can will then be placed on the can carriage and then the handle 27 will be raised to release the clutch which then allows the counterweight to raise the can carriage. The controlling mechanism moves from the positions shown in Fig.5 to those shown in Fig. 6. After the can carriage has- 1 mix tray and then raise it, the pins 37 preventing any back or forward movement. At about the same instant that the mix tray is engaged the rod 72 engages the arm 67 uppermost position very quickly when the clutch is released and the change of the conand turns the crank shaft 64 until the pins are in alinement with the center of the shaft 64:.

vThe spring 70 will then turn the shaft further until the crank arm 69 strikes the stop 71. The'crank arm 63. will also be moved. through the same angle and will draw the link 59 downward, thus lowering move'ment of the pins. The end. of lever 54 containing the slot 57 is therefore rocked back and forth continuously. lVhe'n link 59 is lowered so that the bottom of slot 60 does not support the pin 61, the pin will be'dr'awn into the notch 58by the spring 62 assoon'asthe slot 57 is moved forward due to the rock-' "ing of the two-armed. lever 54. The shape and depth of the notch 58 is such that the pin 61 is readily held thereinby'the spring 62 until the link 59 raises it out of the notch. It will be understood that the can carriage changes from the lowermost position-to the trolling mechanism from' the positions of Fig. 5 to those of Fig. 6 also occurs in the same time. In fact, the upward movement of the rod 7 2 is sufiicient to turnth'e shaft 6 L over on the upstroke without the aid of the spring 70. v

'As soon as the pin is drawninto the notch 58 the movable tapered mix holder is set in {motion within the box and shakes the mix 1 into the can by pushing it. back and forth over the opening 34. The operator'places v the mix back'and forth't'o' feed'lt lnto the can."

the mix in the holder by means of ascoop as soon as the carriage is raised. The moist condition of the mix prevents it from fallg; ing through the opening until the mix feed is placed in operation. The mix feed shakes the mix back and forth over the opening and pushes it into the can in a rapid and uniform manner. I v

As the mix is tamped into the can by the tamping sticks, the carriage recedes against the yielding pressure applied by the counterweight. On the upward'stroke of thetamp ing sticks the carriage is prevented from similar upward movement by the clutch as f previously described. During thetamping the controlling mechanism gradually moves downward dueto rod 72 enga-gingthe'arm 68 and turning the, crank shaft 64 until when the cell is tamped to the proper height these parts assume the position shown in Fig. 7.

69 has been raised until the bottom of slot is just in engagement with pin 61, and the It will be noted in this figure that crank arm ofiset crank arm 69 of the crank shaft 64,- 4

the bearings of thecrank shaft and the spring 70 are .in alinement and in a vertical position. A slight movement of the crank arm 69 toward the right due to the rod 72 moving further down will place the crank arm over the dead center and spring 7 0 will then quickly turn the shaft over until the arm 68 strikes the stop 70. This will produce simultaneously a quick upward movement of crank arm 63 and link 59 which will raise the pin 61 out 'of the notch 58. The

' pin will then move back and forth in slot 57 and the reciprocating movement of the mix holder will be'discontinued so that mix will 7 no longer be fed into the can.

The operator will then immediately lower the tamped cell out of range of the'tamping sticks .by pressing on thefoot lever 7 7 and thenremove the cell. The operation is then ready tobe repeated.

" It has been found that as the mix shaker moves back and forth in the guide box, mix I gradually worksunder the lower edge of the ends 4H and 45 into the guide box, and if not removed it becomes packed very tightly therein; The shakerwould then be forced out of the box and the apparatuswould have to. be repaired.

drop out of the box as fast'as'it accumulates therein. Y v

, Myinvention'is not hmlted to the specific evident "that other mechanical equivalents may be used for'throwing out the mix feed.

Havingdescribed my invention, what I claim is 1. In apparatus fortampingdry cells, a can carriage, a mix holder communicating -with the topof the can, means for tamping the -mixin the can and meansfor shaking '2. In apparatus for tamping dry cells, can carriage, a mix holder having an opening over the top of the can, means for tamp ing the mix in the can, means adapted to separate the can carriage and tamping means as the mix is tamped into the can and means for reciprocating the mix over the opening to feed said mix into the can.

3.111 apparatus for tamping dry cells, a

can'carriage, means for tamping the m x in the; can, means adapted to separate the can carnage and tamping means as the mix 1s 7 To eliminate this, slots 35 and 37 are provided which allow the mix to controlling mechanism shown, as it-will be I I 4. In "apparatus for tamping [dry cells, a

, can carriage, means for tamping the mix in an opening adapted to register with the top of the .can, a mix holder open at the base "the can, meansadapted to separate the can carriage-and tamping means as the mix-is tamped into the can, a mix platform having and surrounding said opening'in the platform, andmeans for reciprocating the holder to" feed mix through the opening while the cell is being tamped.

" .5. In apparatus for tamping dry cells, a

movable can carriage, means for tamping the mix, intothe can, means for yieldingly resisting the movement of the can carriage, a'1nix,platform having an opening in communication withthe top of the can, a mix holder open at the base and surrounding said opening in the platform, means for .reciprocating the holder to shake mix through the opening, and means for stopping the re-' '7 ciprocating movement of the mix holder when the cell is tamped, whereby further feeding of the mix is prevented.

6. Inv apparatus for tamping dry cells, a movable can'carriage, reciprocating means for tamping a mix in'the can, a mix platthe platform, means for. connecting said.

form having an opening in communication with the top of the can, a inix holder open at the base and surrounding said opening in holder with the reciprocating tamping means to impart a similar movement to the holder whereby the mix is fed through the opening, and means adapted to disconnect said holder when the cell is tamped.

7. In dry cell tampers, a movable can carria e reci rocatin 7 means for tam in a v mix into'the can, a mix platform having an opening adapted to register with the top of the can,'a mix holder open at the base adapted to surround the opening in said platform and slidably mounted thereon, a

pivoted lever-connected at one end to the tamping means and adaptedto beconnected at t e other end to said holder, and means for disconnecting said mix holder and lever when the cell is tamped to the proper height.

I carriage, reciprocating means for tamping 8. In dry cell tampers, a movable can mix into the can, a mix platform having an opening adapted-to register with the top of the can, means-adapted to elevate the plat-v form with the can carriage, a mix holder 'open' at the base adapted to surround the opening in the platform and slidably mounted thereon, a pivoted lever connected at. one end to the tamping means and adapted'to be connected atthe other end to the holder, means for disconnecting said holder and lever when the cell is tamped to the proper hei ht and means adapted to. support the p atform .after the cell is tampedto the proper height.

9. In dry cell tampers,. a movable can car- 'riage, reciprocating means for tamping the mix' into the can, a miX platform having an opening adapted to register with the top of t adapted to surround the opening in sa d platform and slidablymounted thereon, a pivoted lever connected at one end to the tamping means, said lever having a slot in the other end, a linkpivoted at one end to the mix'holder, a pin fitted in the other end e can, a mix holder open at) the baseof the link and movable in the slot, said lever having a notch adjoining the slot,

means adapted to move the pin into the notch to connect the tamping means and holder, and means for holding the pin in the slot to, disconnect said tamping means and holder.

10. In dry cell tampers, a movable can carriage, reciprocating means for tamping mix into the can, a mix'platform having an opening-adapted to register with the top of the can, a mix holder open at the base adapted to surround the opening in said platform and slidably mounted thereon, a pivoted lever connected at oneend to the tamping means, said lever having a slot in the other end, a link pivoted atone end to the holder, a pin. fitted in the other end of the link and movable in the slot of the pivoted' lever, said lever having a notch therein 7 adjoining-the slot, means adapted to draw the pin into the notch to connect the tamping means and holder, and means operated from the can carnage adapted to'move said pin into the slotto disconnect the tampin carriage, a-mix holder open at the base adapted to surround the opening in said platform and slidably mounted thereon, a pivoted lever connected at one end to the tamping means, saidlever having a slot in the other end, a link pivoted at one end to the holder, 21. pin fittedin the other end of the link and movable in the slot'of the pivoted lever, said lever having a notch therein adjoining the slot, means adapted to draw the pin into the notch to conrect the tamping means and-holder, means adapted to move said pin into the slot and an arm connected to the carriage adapted to operate said last mentioned means when the cell is tamped to the proper height.

12. In dry cell tampers, a movable can carriage, reciprocating means for tamping mix into the can, a mix platform having an opening adapted to register with the top of the can, a mix holder open at the base adapted to surround the opening in said platform and slidably mounted thereon, a pivoted lever connected at one end to the tamping means, said lever having a slot in the other end, a link pivoted at one end to the holder, a pin fitted in the other end of the link and movable in the slot of the piv oted lever, said lever having a notch therein adjoining the slot, means adapted to draw the pin into the. notch to connect the tamp ing means and holder. means for removing the pin from the notch and maintaining it in the slot when the talnping is complete, consisting of an arm connected to the movable can carriage. a shaft, a lever projecting therefrom into the path of the arm and adapted to be engaged thereby on the downward stroke. a crank connected to the shaft and a link having a slot for receiving the pin. said link being connected to the crank and adapted to raise the pin when the arm engages the lever and rotates the shaft on the downward stroke of the carriage.

13. Indry cell tampers. a movable can carriage. reciprocating means for tamping mix into the can, a mix platform having an opening adapted to register with the top of the can, a mix holder open at the base adapted to surround the opening in said platform and slidably mounted thereon, a pivoted lever connected at. one end to the tamping means. said lever having a slot in the other end, a link pivoted at one end to the holder, a pin fitted in the other end of the link and movable in the slot of the pivoted lever, said lever having a notch therein adjoining the slot, means adapted to draw the pin into the notch to connect the tamping means and holder, means for removing the pin from the notch and maintaining it in the slot until the tamping is complete, consisting of an arm connected to the movable can carriage, a shaft. a lever projecting therefrom into the path of the arm and adapted to be engaged thereby on the downward stroke, a crank connected to the shaft and a link having a slot .for receiving the pin. said link being connected to the crank and adapted to raise the pin when the arm engages the lever and rotates the shaft on the downward stroke of the carriage, and

means for turning the shaft quickly through an angle sufiicient to raise the pin out of the notch quickly when the cell is tamped to the proper height.

14. In apparatus for tamping dry cells, a movable can carriage, means for tamping the mix in the can, a mix platform movable with the can carriage While the mix is being tamped, said platform having an opening communicating with the top of the can, a mix holder open at the base and surrounding said opening in the platform,

'means for reciprocating the holder to shake the mix through the opening and means dependent on the position of the can carriage for stopping the shaking of the mix.

15. In apparatus for tamping dry cells, a movable can carriage. means for tamping the mix in the can, a mix'tray having guides therein, said tra v having an opening communicating with the top of the can, a tapered mix holder fitted in the. tray and mov able between the guides. said holder being open at the base and slidable on the bottom of said tray. and means for reciprocating the holder to shake the mix through the opening.

16. In apparatus for tamping dry cells, a movable can carriage. means for tamping the mix in the can, a mix tray having guides therein, said tray having an opening communicating with the top of the can, a tapered mix holder fitted in the tray and movable between the guides, said holder being open at the base and slidable on the bottom of said tray. means for reciprocating the holder to shake the mix through the opening, and means for removing mix entering between the tray and the holder.

17. In apparatus for tamping dry cells, a movable can carriage, means for tamping the mix in the can, a mix tray having guides therein, said tray having anopening communicating with the top of the can, a tapered mix holder fitted in the tray and movable between the guides, said holder being open at thebase and slidable on the bottom of said tray, means for reciprocating the holder to shake the mix through the opening, and an opening in the bottom of the tray on each side of the slidable mix holder for the removal of mix entering between the tray and holder.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

MARCUS A. FOOS. 

